Kevin Pang

The final phase of my transformation into a full-fledged Chicagoan involves appreciating the Italian beef sandwich. Until now, I have neglected to give it my full appreciation. When I moved to Chicago 10 years ago, I had never even heard of the Italian beef. Unlike other regional sandwiches, the Chicago Italian beef likely wouldn't pass the "Sue from Topeka" test; that is, mention the sandwich to Sue from Topeka and she might look at you askance. On the beef sandwich familiarity scale, Italian beef resides beneath the French dip/pastrami/Philly cheesesteak top tier, on the next level down with the Buffalo beef on weck and Baltimore pit beef. So for Sue from Topeka, a brief...

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The final phase of my transformation into a full-fledged Chicagoan involves appreciating the Italian beef sandwich. Until now, I have neglected to give it my full appreciation.
When I moved to Chicago 10 years ago, I had never even heard of the Italian...

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...

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Q: Where can I get a real Cubano sandwich?
--Annmarie Kostyk, Chicago
A: I posed your question to Kevin Pang, my Tribune colleague. He immediately sent me a copy of his November 2012 article: "El Cubanito: Judging a book by its cover."
El...

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Q: I had some wonderfully sweet, savory and slightly crunchy chicken wings at a restaurant in Vancouver, British Columbia, called Phnom Penh. Any chance you could get me their recipe, or find a restaurant in Chicago that offers something similar?
—Mary...